Umbilical cord ligation device



lfi- 29, 1954 L. H. AVERBACH 3,150,666

UMBILICAL CORD LIGATION DEVICE Filed Jan. 7, 1963 INVENTOR. LOU/5AVEFIAC/r' BY wi Arron/[r United States Patent I) 3,150,666 UMBELICALCGRI) LIGATION DEVICE Louis H. Averhach, 1411 Knorr St., Philadelphia11, Pa. Filed .Ian. 7, 1963, Sex. No. 249,763 6 Ciaims. ($1. 128-326) Ingeneral, this invention relates to a new and improved automatic devicefor tying the umbilical cord, and more particularly to a simple ligationdevice which will tie the umbilical cord with an elastic band withoutthe umbilical cord stump coming in contact with the operators hands.

In the past, the bleeding of the umbilical stump has been a seriousproblem in modern obstetrics. Many methods of cord ligation have beentried without any one method proving to be universally satisfactory. Themost common method has been the tying of the umbilical cord with cottoncord. However, this was not satisfactory. These cords required retyingbecause of the bleeding of the umbilical cord. As the umbilical cordshrank, the cotton cord loosened and it failed its purposes.

Since the cord stump is an important focus of many types of infection,the best possible type of ligation should be used.

Some of the criteria which should be considered in adapting a method ofligation of the umbilical cord are as follows: (1) hemostasis should becomplete and immediate; (2) the umbilical cord should not come incontact with contaminants from the operators hands; (3) the method mustbe adaptable to all sizes of umbilical cords; (4) the method must bequick; (5) the method should be easy to perform; and (6) the tyingdevice should be disposable, of negligible weight, and harmless to thesurrounding skin of the infant.

Therefore, it is the general object of this invention to provide a newand better automatic device for tying the umbilical cord.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and better devicefor tying the umbilical cord which can be incorporated in standardsurgical equipment.

A further object of this invention is to provide a better and moresimple method of and apparatus for tying the umbilical cord whichutilizes short lengths of elastic tubing.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and betterautomatic device for tying the umbilical cord which will be operativewithout the operators hands coming into contact with the cord.

Further objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in thedrawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a Kelly clamp adapted in accordancewith the principles of the present invention for tying umbilical cords.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the automatic device of the present inventionin position prior to tying of the umbilical cord.

FIGURE 4 is a showing of the automatic device of FIGURE 3 in the middleof a tying operation.

FIGURE 5 is a further showing of the device of FIG- URES 3 and 4 afterthe umbilical cord has been tied.

FIGURE 6 is a partially broken away view of the tip of the automaticdevice shown in FIGURES 1-5.

FIGURE 7 is a partially broken away view of the tip of a secondembodiment of the present invention.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown one embodiment of 3,l5@,5fi6 Patented Sept.29, 1964 an automatic device 10 built in accordance with the principlesof the present invention.

The device It is essentially a Rochester clamp which has been modifiedin order to form the automatic device of the present invention.Thedevice 10 includes a'pair of handles 12 and 14 having integral fingerholes 16 and 13 respectively at the ends thereof. The handles 12 and 14pivot about a suitable rivet 20. The handle 12 has a slot 26 thereinforming two plannar portions 22 and 24 through which the central portion28 of handle 14 passes.

A stop 30 is provided on the edge of central portion 28 to limit themovement of planar portion 22 of handle 12. The extensions of handles 12and 14 on the opposite side of rivet 26 are curved to form left andright clamp jaws 32 and 34. These curved clamp jaws have mating teeth 36so as to better grip an object therebetween.

To lock the jaws 32 and 34 in place, there are provided suitableextensions 38 and 4d of finger grips 16 and 18 respectively. Theextensions 38 and 49 have suitable buttress-type teeth 42 and 44respectively thereon which teeth can mate to lock the handles 12 and 14in a particular position. The clamp, as described, is a standardRochester or Kelly clamp utilized in surgical practice. Other types ofclamps which could perform the same functions may be utilized inaccordance with the teachings of the present invention.

A suitable spring-type lever clip 46 is provided which can be pivotallymounted on the tip of the jaws 32 and 34 by clip pivots 5d and 48respectively. These pivots mount the clip 46 for rotative movement aboutthe tips of the jaws 32 and 34.

The clip 46 has raised parallel portions 52 and 54 adjacent the pivotalconnections 48 and 50 respectively. The raised portions 52 and 54 areformed on wire-like arms 53 and 5h joined at the center thereof by aspring 56. The spring 56 maintains the pivots 48 and 50 in suitablerecesses in the tips of jaws 34 and 32 respectively.

An elastic band 60 is then placed over the tips of jaws 34 and 32 andthe raised portions 54 and 52 of clip 46. The band 66 is formed bycutting a three millimeter length of latex tubing. The band is thenwashed and made sterile. The entire device 14) may be sterilized bystandard processes such as by autoclaving in the regular obstetricalpack or by wet sterilization in a suitable antiseptic solution. Sincethe band 61) is in its unstretched position, it will not be affected bythe sterilization processes.

The automatic device of the present invention is utilized in the mannershown in FIGURES 2-5 First, after the delivery of a baby, at the momentthe operator considers best, the umbilical cord is clamped about threecentimeters from the skin level using the device 10 with the curved sideof the clamp towards the infants abdomen. In FIGURE 2, the umbilicalcord has been noted by the numeral 62 and shown clamped between jaws 32and 34.

The umbilical cord is then stripped in a direction away from the infantand a standard Rochester or Kelly clamp is applied about threecentimeters from the device 10. The umbilical cord is then out betweenthe clamps close to the device 10. At this point, the device 10 and theumbilical cord 62 are in the position shown in FIGURE 3.

The clip 46 is then moved in a counterclockwise direction as shown bythe arrow in FIGURE 3. The band 60 is stretched as the clip 46 rotatesabout pivots 48 and 50. As shown in FIGURE 5, once the band 60 stretchesbeyond the raised portions 54 and 52, it passes over the tips of thejaws 32 and 34 to clamp the umbilical cord 62. Since the band 61) iselastic in nature, the shrinking of the umbilical cord 62 will not causebleeding. The intrinsic nature of the elastic band causes it to contractas the umbilical cord shrinks, thus maintaining constant constrictionwhich prevents seepage from the stump.

If desired, the obstetrician may prefer not to strip the umbilical cordprior to ligation. Contamination of the umbilical stump from the handscan be avoided by not stripping to the point of ligation.

In FIGURE 6, there is shown the mounting of the pivots 43 and 50 insuitable holes 64 and 66 drilled through the tips of jaws 34 and 32respectively. It should be noted that by utilizing a spring-type clip46, it is not necessary to secure the pivots 43 and 50 in the recesses64 and 66 as the spring 56 will maintain them in place whether thehandles 12 and 14 are open or closed.

As an alternative, the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7 may be utilized inwhich a new clip 46 has been utilized in place of the clip 4-6. The clip46 is mounted on a suitable cup 68 welded to the tip of jaw 34. The clip46' has only a single pivot 48' adapted to fit within the cup 68. Oneside wire 58 of the clip 45' is exactly similar to the side wire 58 ofclip 46. A second side wire 59 is also provided and shaped in the samemanner as wire 59 of clip 46. The side wires 58' and 59' are joined atthe end opposite from the tip of the jaws by a suitable spring 56'. Asshown in FIGURE 7, an elastic band 60 can be placed on the clip 46 inthe same manner as was discussed with respect to FIGURES 16. The shapeof the clips constitutes a means for maintaining the elastic band inplace over the clip and jaws.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specifications as indicating the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. An umbilical cord ligation device comprising a clamp, said clamphaving relatively movable gripping jaws for clamping the end of anumbilical cord, an elastic band ejector clip, said clip being pivotallymounted about the tip of at least one of said jaws about an axisperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said jaws, said clip having afirst position when said clip is resting against said jaws, said clipincluding means for maintaining an elastic band placed over said clipand jaws in place when said clip is in said first position, said meansbeing additionally operative to expand the elastic band and move aportion of the elastic band over the tips of said jaws when said clip ispivoted from said first position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said clip includes two Wire-shaped armsassociated with each of the gripping jaws, said wire-shaped arms beingjoined at the end opposite from the tips of said jaws by a springmember, said spring member being adapted to bias said wireshaped armstoward each other.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said clamp has two jaws, the shape ofsaid clip constituting said maintaining means, said clip including awire-shaped member for each of said jaws, said wire-shaped members beingsubstantially similar in shape, at least one of said wireshaped membersbeing pivotally secured to its associated jaw at the tip thereof, saidwire-shaped members resting on one side of said jaws when said clip isin said first position, said wire-shaped members having a portionimmediately adjacent the tip of said jaws raised above the plane of theside of said jaws on which said clip is resting in said first position.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said jaws have aligned recesses thereinat the tips thereof, said wireshaped members having extensions at theends thereof adjacent the tips of the jaws, said extensions beingadapted to fit in said recesses to provide pivotal movement of said clipabout the tips of said jaws.

5. An umbilical cord ligation device comprising a clamp, said clamphaving relatively movable gripping jaws for clamping the end of anumbilical cord, an elastic band ejector clip, said clip being pivotallymounted about the tip of at least one of said jaws for rotation about anaxis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said jaws,said clip having a first position wherein said clip is alongside saidjaws, said clip being adapted to be maintained in said position by anelastic band extending around said clip and jaws, said clip having aportion thereof operative to expand the elastic band and move theelastic band over the tips of said jaws when said clip is pivoted fromsaid first position.

6. An umbilical cord ligation device in accordance with claim 5 whereinsaid clip is removably coupled to said jaws whereby said clip may bereadily removed from said jaws.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,978,210 Lovekin Oct. 23, 1934 2,561,286 Montgomery July 17, 19512,601,547 Minock June 24, 1952 2,942,604 Gravlee June 28, 1960

1. AN UMBILICAL CORD LIGATION DEVICE COMPRISING A CLAMP, SAID CLAMPHAVING RELATIVELY MOVABLE GRIPPING JAWS FOR CLAMPING THE END OF ANUMBILICAL CORD, AN ELASTIC BAND EJECTOR CLIP, SAID CLIP BEING PIVOTALLYMOUNTED ABOUT THE TIP OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID JAWS ABOUT AN AXISPERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID JAWS, SAID CLIP HAVING AFIRST POSITION WHEN SAID CLIP IS RESTING AGAINST SAID JAWS, SAID CLIPINCLUDING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING AN ELASTIC BAND PLACED OVER SAID CLIPAND JAWS IN PLACE WHEN SAID CLIP IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID MEANSBEING ADDITIONALLY OPERATIVE TO EXPAND THE ELASTIC BAND AND MOVE APORTION OF THE ELASTIC BAND OVER THE TIPS OF SAID JAWS WHEN SAID CLIP ISPIVOTED FROM SAID FIRST POSITION.